Name: Hunter's-Style Chicken
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: ItalianEurope
Ingredients: 4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (2 split breasts cut in half crosswise, 2 drumsticks, and 2 thighs); Salt and pepper; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 onion , chopped; 1 carrot , peeled and chopped; 1 celery rib , chopped; 2 garlic cloves , minced; 1½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary; ½ cup dry white wine; ½ cup chicken broth; 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes , drained; 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Why This Recipe Works

In Italy, anything cooked alla cacciatora is cooked “the hunter's way.” Hunters in central regions like Le Marche would braise their fresh-killed game simply, until supertender and enveloped in a savory sauce. Given the dish's throw-together nature, there isn't one recipe. What is always standard: The meat (typically rabbit or poultry) is first sautéed and then cooked slowly with a selection of vegetables, which are often foraged. Many know only of the Italian-American version, which features chicken in a thick marinara-like sauce. We wanted something you'd find in central Italy, with a sauce that is just substantial enough to cling to the chicken. Tomatoes were in, as we liked their sweetness and acidity, and our wine of choice was white for its lighter profile. To keep this mix from being too harsh we cut it with chicken broth, which buffered the presence of the wine and rounded the savory flavors. The flavors of garlic and rosemary complemented the poultry. For even cooking, we sautéed the chicken on the stove and then transferred it to the oven to finish cooking through gently. As the chicken rested, we reduced the infused broth to form a flavorful sauce.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of chicken on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes; transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining chicken; transfer to plate.

Add onion, carrot, and celery to fat left in pot and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth and tomatoes and bring to simmer.

Return chicken to pot along with any accumulated juices. Cover, transfer pot to oven, and cook until breasts register 160 degrees and drumsticks/thighs register 175 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes, turning chicken halfway through cooking.

Remove pot from oven. Transfer chicken to serving dish and tent with aluminum foil. Bring sauce to simmer over medium-high heat and cook until reduced to about 2 cups, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with parsley. Serve.